Mobile Phone Choices in Australia - Term Paper Example

Mobile Phone Choices in Australia Introduction Apparently, mobile phones have become an integral part of human life. Considering that the mobile phone technologies have advanced to an extent of making the simple device perform like a PDA, it is only reasonable to conclude that possessing a cell phone is inevitable. The mobile phone has evolved from being the luxury it was, to being a necessity just like food and clothing (Backhaus et al 2011). The device, which is averagely within the reach of a member of the middle class, has the potential of serving as a computer. Modern day cell phones are a whole package as they have so many built-in features. These make the device considerably versatile in the sense that it can serve more functions than just making and receiving calls. A cell phone for instance, can serve as a camera, a radio, a television, a data storage device, a centre of socialization as well as a means through which the user can connect to the rest of the world. Considering that a modern day cell phone enables internet access and instant messaging, it is valid to conclude that a mobile phone is one of the most significant factors contributing to globalization, a phenomenon that has seen the integration of cultures and ideas (BRW 2012). Contrary to the olden days, a person owning a cell phone in Melbourne today can easily chat with an individual in Canada. This profound importance of the cell phone has made it a necessity. The difficult part comes when an individual wants to purchase a cell phone. The cell phones, which are manufactured by different companies, have similar features yet are so different (Backhaus et al 2011). Similarly, the network providers offer various plans that enable one to own a cell phone and make calls at predetermined rates. Choosing among the many plans has proven to be quite a hassle for the consumer. Similarly, marketing the various plans has proven to be difficult. Worth noting is that the choices vary depending on the gender, age and personality. This paper seeks to evaluate the various evaluation criteria in light of three respondents in Melbourne. The evaluation criteria are in relation to the available mobile phone plan options offered by the three major service providers in Melbourne: Vodafone, Optus and Telstra. Mobile phone and plan options There are many mobile phone and plan options offered by the three major network providers: Vodafone, Optus and Telstra. The plans aimed at marketing the services offered by the service providers vary in terms and conditions. Depending on how well the option is marketed, people may opt for it. Even so, there are many other factors that determine the plan option. The six main plan options are as follows: Plan Mobile phone Vodafone all time $35 plan for twelve months Sony Xperia Telstra $80/month 24 month plan iPhone 5 16GB Optus $22/month 24 month plan Blackberry Bold 9900 Vodafone $50/month twelve months plan Samsung galaxy note II Vodafone $90/month six months plan HTC one X Telstra $40/month for twelve months Nokia Lumia Evaluative criteria The clients use various standards to select the mobile phone and plan option. Mainly, the evaluative criteria focus more on the mobile phone than the payment and recharge options. Considering that all the mobile phones in the above listed plans are smart phones, the plan option is not so much significant. Rather, the mobile phone features are more significant in making the decision on which plan to go for. The research indicates that the most common evaluative criteria include: The internal memory The quality of the camera The clarity of the speaker The speed of the processor The size of the screen Battery life Number of applications The operating system Ranking the evaluative criteria among the individuals: Jones, Smith and Nelly Evaluative criterion Jones Smith Nelly The internal memory 30 20 30 The quality of the camera 10 11 25 The clarity of the speaker 20 10 10 The speed of the processor 9 10 15 The size of the screen 8 10 5 Battery life 9 9 5 Number of applications 6 20 4 The operating system 8 10 6 TOTAL 100 100 100 Why the rankings of the evaluative criteria vary Demographic factors The rankings of the evaluative criteria vary from one individual to another because of various reasons. Key among the factors prompting the differences in the rankings is demographic factors. The demographic factors under considerations may include such things as the gender of the user, the age of the user, the family background of the individual as well as the average income of the individual (Wilska 2003). Age, for instance is a significant factor considering that the different age groups have different needs and desires. For instance, it is common for a young person to be obsessed with the internet. This phenomenon is not so much common among the old folks. Age The difference comes in the sense that the old people will not give so much attention to such things as internet accessibility. On the contrary, the old people are much concerned with such things as the clarity of the speakers. The old man in Melbourne is mostly concerned about making and receiving calls. it is for this reason that they will not be so much interested in such things as cameras and audio capacity of the phones. Age is therefore an important factor to consider. In the contemporary world, social media is becoming a central part of the social life of most youths (Gardner 2005). This way, the efficiency of a cell phone with regard to social media accessibility is paramount to a young person. It is for this reason that the young people will more likely focus on such things as internal speed and efficient processor. It is for this reason that a young person will more likely consider the speed of the device in relation to internet access and application execution. Most of the smart phones have a high speed due to the enhanced processor installed within the phone. In other words, with a smart phone, the user can easily accesses websites on the internet and obtain desired information from such sites. From the above mentioned respondents, Smith is the youngest followed by Jones and lastly, Nelly. The differences in their ages can be seen in the fact that Smith, the youngest individual has much consideration for the number of applications in the mobile phone. This includes those applications concerned with social sites and entertainment. On the contrary, the older respondents, Nelly and Jones are usually busy and are concerned with such evaluative criterion as the operating system. Gender Arguably the tastes and preference of men and women with regard to such things as mobile phones are extremely distinct. Typically, a woman will go for such bright colors as pink and yellow. On the contrary, a man will go for such colors as black and grey. Worth noting is the fact that a woman will not go for big mobile phones as they have an unexplained obsession for small things as they make such considerations as handbag storage et cetera. Women on the other hand tend to like such things as social sites more than their male counterparts. Research indicates that this is particularly the case in the developed world where the love for social media is constant in women, despite of the age. The research indicates that while men have obsession for social and online media, the obsession fades with age (Fasolo et al 2009). In other words therefore, a woman will have much consideration for the mobile phones capacity to access media sites than a man would. It is for this reason that a woman would rather have an iPhone 5 than a BlackBerry Bold 9900 since the iPhone has better and faster accessibility to such social sites as twitter and face book, thanks to the strong operating system referred to as iOS. Additionally, women have a lesser propensity to spend on such things as mobile phones. It is for this reason that they tend to avoid the more expensive handsets. They may consider a smart phone as a luxury. This way, they tend to prioritize other things such that they do not have enough resources to give up for acquiring a smart phone. Female respondent, Nelly, is adequate evidence of the preference for such things as pictures. The respondent, as opposed to all other respondents gives prominence to the quality of the camera. Her male colleagues are more concerned with such things as the internal memory and the quality of the speaker. Family circumstances Talking of family circumstances, the main focus is on the financial statuses of the families of the various respondents. A prospective buyer from a rich family will definitely buy a considerably prestigious cell phone in a bid to maintain their ostentatious state (Butt & Phillips 2008). This way, the evaluative criterion to which they will assign maximal attention is that which seeks to maximize prestige. On the contrary, an individual from a poor background, who is much concerned about making and receiving calls will go for that mobile phone and plan that tends to suit their financial circumstances. This way, their choices will be based on necessity and not prestige. A rich individual, who will have no problem working with any of the available mobile phone and plan options will go for an option that maximizes utility in as far as prestige is concerned. In straightforward terms, the rich individual will not be affected by the monetary constraint. This is why they will be comfortable working with any mobile plan option. Family circumstances could be in such a way that the family culture does not encourage the use of certain applications on the phones. For instance, an individual from a rural family where exposure is limited cannot be in a position to fully understand the importance of all the features of a smart phone. This way, they may not have a distinct priority in ranking the evaluative criteria. They make arbitrary choices of mobile phones and plan options since they have no understanding of the features (Karjaluoto et al 2005). On the contrary, an outgoing and exposed individual will not arbitrarily choose a mobile option plan. They will choose that mobile option that will maximize utility in their preferences. Worth noting is the fact that an outgoing individual will always have tastes in favor of such applications as the popular latest version of Opera Mini. They will as well opt for the handsets that have such things as large internal memory which enables them to store such forms of entertainment as music and movies. Unlike the reserved persons that come from families with a calm non outgoing nature, the person whose upbringing is exposed to a luxurious lifestyle will likely go for a mobile phone with many applications. Smith, the respondent from a rich background has high preference and priority for such high definition features like the operating system since they can easily afford to purchase such costly handsets. The income of the individual This is an extremely important determinant of the evaluative criteria. Apparently such smart phones as the apple iPhone 5 are not common in the developing countries as they cost too much for the average earner in their economies. This is to say that they items availed in the market depend upon the financial capability of the prospective buyers. In a developed economy, such things as the smart phones are fairly common as the average buyer can afford the plans and mobile phones offered for sale. Similarly, an averagely wealthy individual can be in a better position to acquire a desired phone. This means that the evaluative criteria used by a wealthy individual are considerably different from those criteria used by an individual with little income (Sirgy 2002). This makes the difference between the choices of the plan. The fact that there is a variance between the choice estimated by the compensatory decision rule and the actual choice is brought about by economic circumstances. Such variables as income are the most appropriate ways of explaining the differences in the projections and the actual. Personality of the respondents Personality refers to the innate characteristics of an individual. The personality of a person determines how such a person reasons and makes decisions. The personality is a unique quality in the sense that no two people possess identical personalities (Birke et al 2006). This is to say that the perception of people about such a thing as a mobile phone varies according to perception. Perception is a reflection of personality. The personalities of people can be described as either outgoing or reserved, or simply as extrovert and introvert respectively. An extrovert is a person that is ready and able to interact with other people including strangers. They are usually happy and talkative. Extroverts are less concerned about their privacy as compared to the introverts. They are open minded people that like socializing with others whichever the occasion. On the contrary, introverts are reserved and treasure their privacy a great deal. They are less talkative and appear gloomy. They are not the best company for an outgoing person as they do not like fun and socializing. Introverts Coincidentally none of the respondents were introverts. They all have social traits such as chatting online and making friends over the internet. This way, they all qualify to be referred to as extroverts. Such extroverts have similar tastes. Before embarking on understanding the extrovert behavior, it is imperative to understand the nature of introverts and their propensity to be reserved in their opinions and ways of conduct. Apparently, introverts are quite reserved individuals that are not at all ready to indulge into unplanned social tendencies (Belk 2005). This explains why the introvert has the tendency to stay in solitude most of the times. Such an individual is never thrilled by such things as movies. An extreme introvert, who is associated with such temperaments as phlegmatic behaviors, will only interact with those people that they have absolute trust in. in making a choice of the mobile phone and plan option, an introvert will usually find that handset that entertains them even when such a cell phone does not cause their peers to admire them. This, in other words, means that an introvert’s prioritization of the evaluative criteria is not a thing that an individual can easily comprehend. All the respondents, Jones, Smith and Nelly, being extroverts tend to choose that mobile phone and plan options that enable them to effectively maintain a social network with friends and acquaintances. This explains why the three respondents have a high propensity to giving internal memory and applications prominence. The extrovert, being an entertainer himself, likes such sources of entertainment as music and movies. It is no mystery then why my respondent, who are close colleagues with whose traits I am well versed, prominently consider the phones’ storage capacities in terms of storage, speed and quality of camera. Much as the respondents have unique traits, they have similar tastes based on the fact that they are all outgoing. The traits of the respondents Jones Jones, a twenty five year old gentleman is a person of multiple characters. Most prominently, the young man is fun loving. As observed earlier, the young man is an extrovert. Being an extrovert, the individual will always make decisions that suit his outspoken character. The fun that Jones finds in the smart phones is embraced in such applications as the music player and the camera. It is for this reason that Jones has a preference for a Smart phone with a large internal memory, a high quality camera definition. These two are the primary features when it comes to the definition of fun in the context of a mobile phone. The individual quality of being a fun lover drives the young man into maximizing on his choice of phone. The second quality of the individual is that he is particularly lazy. His laziness explains his preference for idle sitting and passing time with such things as soft music on the phone. As opposed to a hardworking individual who is always busy trying to beat deadlines, the lazy one will usually prefer listening to music on the cell phone. To get the best out of their idle time, the individuals tend to choose mobile phones that can effectively keep them occupied during their idle sessions. A lay individual has a low propensity to do work even when such work was important class work. Instead of sitting down and using paper and pen, the individuals use their digital phones to do their homework online. Jones, being no exception to this, opts for a cell phone with a long battery life and good operating system. Smith The young man from a considerably wealthy family is a lover of adventure. It is for this reason that he prefers a cell phone that will enable him to explore the internet and to check those sites that contain adventurous games and applications. Being sufficiently capable of buying the mobile phone of his choice, the young man owns an iPhone 5. This phone enables him to access sites with high definition games. This is because the iOS, an operating system from Apple Computers, supports the Java applications that other operating systems cannot work efficiently with. In addition to being adventurous, young man is considerably social. He is always ready to make friends and to talk to anyone he comes across. For this reason, he needs social site access more than anybody else among the respondents. This is the major reason behind his preference for smart phones that have many applications, large internal memory and strong operating system. The fact that the character of the young man determines the choice of phone is determined by the financial strength of the family. Nelly Nelly, the only female respondent among the respondents, is a proud person. Her pride is conspicuous considering that she, much like the rest of the respondents, is an extrovert. Being proud, the young woman likes showing off her possessions to her peers, mates and friends. It is for her pride that she goes for the phone with such outstanding features as a high definition camera and high sound quality speaker. Pride is an innate trait that determines the taste of an individual in relation to such things as physical possessions. Besides being a proud personality, Nelly is a fast learner. She is capable of understanding and using new things considerably fast. In other words, she can easily learn new feature in the smart phone. It is no puzzle then, why she has a taste for those phones with a high number of applications. She can easily orient herself with the many features. Unlike most people, especially, females that have fear of the unknown, this young lady, from the much I know about her, is an aggressive young lady. Conclusion and recommendations While there are many recommendations I would make to the marketers of the plans and mobile phones, the primary recommendations revolve around the fact that the marketers should identify a target market. The target market is a particular population for whom the product is designed. If a product best suits the youth, then the marketers should convey their message in such a way that the targeted market gets to access the information without much hassle. It would be irrelevant to go marketing smart phones in a place dominated by the old generation. Similarly, it would be impossible to sell a single smart phone where the market is full of ignorant buyers. Another prime recommendation would be to tell the prospective buyers about the merits of each phone. By merits, it means that the marketer would have to state the comparative advantages of the phones. Comparative advantage focuses on the strong points of the phone over other smart phones. Additionally, the marketers would have given some guidance and explanations on the use of the smart phones for maximal utility. Reference list Backhaus, Klaus; Koch, Matthias; Stingel, Susanne. 2011. Biased Tariff Choices: Exploring Role Effects in B to B Settings. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing. 18 (4), p357-379. Belk, R. W. 2005. Situational variables and consumer behavior. Journal of Consumer research, 157-164. Birke, Daniel; Swann, G. M. Peter.2006. 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A. 2003. Mobile phone use as part of young people's consumption styles. Journal of Consumer Policy, 26(4), 441-463. Read More